Page 101 of Wilde Abandon

“This is your home.You made a place for Dean and Max.Let’s expand that.”

“Okay.”He grinned.“We’ll pick something out together.It will be our first thing we do together here.”

“Can the second be getting rid of that painting?”

“You don’t like it?”

“It’s okay.I’d just rather have something outdoorsy.Something that feels like you could get lost.A forest.A lake.A garden.Something that brings the outdoors in.Especially with all this city around us.”

“Done.What else?”

“I don’t know yet.I just got here.I need to be in the space and figure out what feels right.”

“I love that the first thing you thought about was a place where everyone can gather.”

“If I’m here, I want my family to be able to come and stay with us.”

Fox pointed down the hall.“There are two bedrooms and baths back that way.”He turned back to the office.“The door between the office and kitchen is a half bath.Next to the front door is a big closet.”He turned again.“Master suite is just past the fireplace.”

“I want to see.”She headed that way.

“It’s also kind of bare,” Fox called after her.

She stepped into the room and gaped at the wall of windows on two sides of the room.Heavy black drapes hung to her left, at the corner of the room, and on the far side of the windows.In the center of the wall on her right was a king-size bed with a white fluffy cover over ocean-blue sheets.The base and headboard were more natural wood, making a simple, clean design.The nightstands matched the wood bed and each had two drawers with a cubby charging station.Cut crystal lamps with white shades sat atop them.

“We need some plants.There’s nothing green in here or out there.With all the windows, we could have some really cool foliage.You could put a whole frickin’ tree out there.”

“Sounds awesome.Let’s do it.”

She turned to him.“This place feels so sterile.There’s nothing on the walls.Aside from your change, a watch, and a few receipts on the dresser over there, you’ve added nothing personal here.”

He turned to her, cupped her face.“I added you.That’s all I need.”He followed up that amazingly sweet, heart-melting, emotional declaration with a kiss to match, and she was lost.In him.The moment.The idea that this was the start of something bigger for them.This was the moment they intertwined their lives in a real and meaningful way by simply planning how to make this spacetheirhome.

He gave her two more tender kisses, then stared down at her.“As much as I want you in our bed, up against a wall, in the amazing bathtub in the other room, I have limited time here to get some stuff done at the office.I need to get ready for work.”He took her hand and tugged her toward a set of double doors.He pulled one open, revealing a huge walk-in closet.On the left, his clothes took up about a quarter of the space.“Never let it be said that I didn’t give you the majority of the closet.”

“I don’t need this much space.”

“You might.I have a lot of dinner meetings.I don’t expect you to come to all of them, but I’d love it if you came sometimes.You’ll need dressy clothes for that.I’ll set up an account for you, so you can buy whatever you need.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

He squeezed her hand.“I want to do that.My world comes with some expectations and necessary flair.Hence the suits, the watches, the car service.If you look successful, people believe you’re good at what you do.And while I love you in whatever you’re wearing, and especially when you’re wearing nothing at all, sweet Dee, I would love to see you in a dress and heels, knocking the socks off whoever wants to hire me and my company.”

She had no problem dressing up for him.It was a simple request and she wanted to fit in.But… “What if I’m working at night, like I do now?”

He squeezed her hand again.“I’ll understand and I won’t complain.Much,” he added with a grin.Then he pulled off his thermal and tossed it into the laundry hamper.He chose a plain white dress shirt from the bar and pulled it on.

She glanced down at her simple black jeans and bright blue blouse.“Do I need to change to come with you?”

“No.A lot of people at the company dress casually.As the head honcho I tend to dress up to meet with clients.I’m just wearing a dress shirt and slacks, no suit today because I’ll mostly be meeting with my employees.”To prove that point, he ditched his jeans and pulled on a pair of dark gray slacks and tucked the shirt into it.He looked classy and sophisticated.

“I brought a dress and heels.Just in case.”She’d chosen her most conservative dress and basic black heels.She wanted to be prepared for anything.

“You don’t need to wear that to hang out with me today.I know it doesn’t sound fun to tag along with me, but I want you to see the place and what I do.I want you to feel comfortable coming to the office to see me.”He sighed.“Because I spend a lot of time there.”

“Looks like you spend a lot of time in your home office, too.”

“I do.And if you’re here with me, I’ll do my best to put work aside and spend time with you.But truthfully, and I want to be upfront, so you’re not surprised or upset, if there’s a deadline looming…I will spend a lot of hours working.Dean and Max often get on my case about being about all work and no play.”

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